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Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams,
    with ten thousand rivers of oil?
Should I offer my firstborn son for my transgressions,
    the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?[a]
The Lord has told you, O man, what is good.
    And what does the Lord require of you?
Only this: to do what is right, to show mercy,
    and to walk humbly with your God.[b]

Those Who Commit Fraud Will Themselves Be Frustrated

Consider carefully what the Lord cries out to the city,
    for to fear his name is a mark of wisdom:

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Footnotes

  1. Micah 6:7 Sacrifice of the firstborn seems to have been frequently practiced at this time, the idea being to obtain the divine favor by offering the firstfruits of human life. The Prophets protested strongly against this aberration of the religious sense (see 2 Ki 16:3; Jer 7:31; Ezek 20:26).
  2. Micah 6:8 Even if this magnificent verse were the only memorable passage in the Book of Micah, the Book would be worth reading and rereading; the verse is one of the richest summations of prophetic preaching (Isa 19:19; Hos 6:6; Am 5:21-22).

Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams,(A)
    with ten thousand rivers of olive oil?(B)
Shall I offer my firstborn(C) for my transgression,
    the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?(D)
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
    And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly(E) and to love mercy
    and to walk humbly[a](F) with your God.(G)

Israel’s Guilt and Punishment

Listen! The Lord is calling to the city—
    and to fear your name is wisdom—
    “Heed the rod(H) and the One who appointed it.[b]

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Footnotes

  1. Micah 6:8 Or prudently
  2. Micah 6:9 The meaning of the Hebrew for this line is uncertain.